[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] A group involved in cultivating and smoking marijuana, a narcotic, at a daycare center and coastal wetlands was caught by the Coast Guard.
The Korea Coast Guard announced on the 2nd that five people, including a man in his 50s identified as Mr. A, were arrested on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act, and 14 others, including a man in his 40s identified as Mr. B, were booked without detention.
Mr. A and others are suspected of cultivating 13 marijuana plants from March to July last year in various locations such as the hallway in front of the director's office, backyard, and rooftop of a daycare center operated by Mr. A's family in the metropolitan area.
They also transplanted marijuana grown at the daycare center to the tidal flats adjacent to the wetland ecological park in Namdong-gu, Incheon, on public waters, or sowed new seeds, continuing to cultivate marijuana until recently.
Investigations revealed that on February 15th, Mr. A drove a vehicle in a hallucinatory state after smoking marijuana, showing audacity by traveling from Namdong-gu, Incheon, across the Incheon Bridge to Yeongjongdo in Jung-gu.
After receiving related intelligence in January, the Coast Guard arrested the group who cultivated or smoked the cultivated marijuana along with Mr. A and seized approximately 260 grams of marijuana in their possession.
A Coast Guard official stated, "Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic making overseas narcotics smuggling difficult, it appears they cultivated the drugs themselves," and added, "We will strongly crack down on narcotics, focusing on coastal areas which are blind spots for enforcement."
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